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I wanted to start a thread of a different tone about the Schultz Fire in Flag. Of course the fire is still spreading and parts of the Inner Basin might be in trouble. It's also on pace to be the largest wildfire in the Flagstaff area in recorded history.
But there is a bright side, at least as far as trails are concerned. It looks like Little Bear is definitely charred, but not necessarily gone. Reports have indicated that the fire wasn't so intense over the trail. Casual spins up Waterline in the fall to ogle the aspens won't be the same for some time, and Weatherford might next in line, but other than that most of our favorites are intact and likely to remain so. We should consider ourselves lucky that the fire wasn't started by a camper lower down on Schultz Pass Road (like the campsites near the cattle guard). And by we I mean ALL users of the trail system.
Even the Daily Sun has an optimistic headline this morning: "New dawn, new hope." With an absolutely beautiful photo, I might add. The view from town is looking better every day, the winds are staying low, and the fire is spreading into relatively moist fuel areas. Most importantly, no lives or property have been lost.
I don't want to understate the damage done or the work that remains for the fire crews - who, by the way, are doing a bang up job - but I just wanted to provide an update of a different perspective. Let's just hope that forest management policies will change as a result of this mess. And once the forest opens on July 22nd, we can all go for a ride again in the peaks we love, and maybe even find some beauty in the landscape despite the lack of green.
I guess I woke up in a good mood this morning, but I'm still pissed at the individual responsible. It does look like the worst is behind us though. Let's hope so, anyway.
But there is a bright side, at least as far as trails are concerned. It looks like Little Bear is definitely charred, but not necessarily gone. Reports have indicated that the fire wasn't so intense over the trail. Casual spins up Waterline in the fall to ogle the aspens won't be the same for some time, and Weatherford might next in line, but other than that most of our favorites are intact and likely to remain so. We should consider ourselves lucky that the fire wasn't started by a camper lower down on Schultz Pass Road (like the campsites near the cattle guard). And by we I mean ALL users of the trail system.
Even the Daily Sun has an optimistic headline this morning: "New dawn, new hope." With an absolutely beautiful photo, I might add. The view from town is looking better every day, the winds are staying low, and the fire is spreading into relatively moist fuel areas. Most importantly, no lives or property have been lost.
I don't want to understate the damage done or the work that remains for the fire crews - who, by the way, are doing a bang up job - but I just wanted to provide an update of a different perspective. Let's just hope that forest management policies will change as a result of this mess. And once the forest opens on July 22nd, we can all go for a ride again in the peaks we love, and maybe even find some beauty in the landscape despite the lack of green.
I guess I woke up in a good mood this morning, but I'm still pissed at the individual responsible. It does look like the worst is behind us though. Let's hope so, anyway.
